David Kaplan: challenges, construction, engineering

What do we know about a person whose sharp mind, ambition and ability to translate them into reality help implement projects
of global importance, which others were afraid to take

Modern business is uneasy to imagine without various information technologies and innovations. The ability to use intelligence when choosing knowledge in the field of engineering industry helps businessman make complex decisions and implement complex methods of management, leadership and maintenance of business in the present world. What makes a good businessman a good entrepreneur in his industry?

Portrait

Often entrepreneurs are described as people with superpowers given from birth, good intuition, infallible, people who find solutions and strong management methods, however, behind the imaginary ease lies enormous work and experience. The portrait does not consist of tangible assets. It is crucial to have qualities that help a person go through absolutely any challenges and tasks, and make anything possible.

This person must be absolutely independent, workaholic and always
bear personal responsibility for everything he gets involved in. He is hardworking,
flexible and mobile. This person possesses versatile knowledge, confidence,
persistence, passion, where he does not act recklessly but knows how to be mindful
and correlate theory with practice, estimate risks up to fifteen moves forward and
make the right decisions.

David Kaplan Entrepreneur

David Kaplan Russian businessman, was born in 1963 in former USSR in a Jewish family with spiritual fidelity, traditions and values of the Jewish people. After school he attended University with concentration in mathematics, system programming and game theory. For some period of time he worked in former USSR.

Today David Kaplan lives and works in his historical homeland Jerusalem. David has an inborn curiosity and desire for knowledge, from early childhood he asked questions, searched for answers, and generated ideas.

Besides being punctual and hardworking, the qualities David inherited from his parents, he has a special talent to visualize the end result of the coordinated work of all parts of a single unified mechanism.

Over time it helped him learn how to find the most complex technical solutions for the implementation of the set design tasks, and not only for the sake of the result, but also for the process of finding the right solution, which gives him great pleasure.

To this day Russian entrepreneur David Kaplan has implemented dozens of major projects, some of them are under the protection of UNESCO.

A specialist in system analysis, logics and programming, he possesses the highest competencies in the field of engineering technology and can intuitively recognize potentially successful solutions.

Thinking outside the box helps him find answers where ordinary people would not look. Russian businessman David Kaplan loves the toughest challenges and custom approach in large-scale construction projects.

In any case, he like in a game of chess thinks out actions for several moves forward, and in unforeseen situations can quickly respond. On a subconscious level, he predicts a possible development of the situation and prepares further actions in advance. David Kaplan is a master strategist, he brilliantly builds relationships with partners, gathers friends and likeminded people.

David Kaplan Engineering

Engineering is an applied science, a way of applying patents and a complex of
scientific knowledge to solve specific problems in the real world.

Kaplan personally gathers a team, attracts the best minds in the world and selects the required number of high-class engineers and other specialists from different countries. He is always present on-line at each stage of the project inquisitively delves into every detail, reads into every line, carefully checks, tries to figure everything out personally.

David Kaplan has implemented more than 70 large facilities in the field of infrastructure construction, reconstruction and oil refining.

Over the course of his career, he has created 10,000 job opportunities. Punctuality, control over the accuracy of the project implementation period and budget Russian entrepreneur David Kaplan puts at the forefront. Kaplan manages his employees that are scattered around the world remotely; for communication and monitoring of the performance he uses unique technologies.

Brilliant knowledge of applied mathematics helped him create remote detailed control of all types of work and construction crews using a separate group of specialists and mobile video cameras, so even remotely he controls everything until the last nail on special screens in his office. However, David Kaplan personally comes to every object under construction, he puts on a protective helmet, boots and goes into the field.

Top 6 projects of David Kaplan

In order to understand the full scale of the personality of David Kaplan, the specifics
of his thinking and approach to complete complex tasks, it is enough to study several
implemented business projects. The most significant projects include:

1.Oil port in Primorsk

The specialized oil loading port of Primorsk is one of the largest oil ports in Europe The complex is the final destination of the Baltic Pipeline System project and locatedin the deep-sea mainland of the Gulf of Finland. The BTS project is defined by the Government of the Russian Federation as the main strategic task related to the exportof Russian oil in the north and northwest routes.

In 2004 a decision was made to increase the capacity for oil transshipment, as a
result, the oil loading terminal in Primorsk was constructed. The project had many obstacles, severe climate conditions and extremely tight deadlines. Complex projects attract David Kaplan, therefore, the construction of Primorsk oil loading terminals were carried out under his personal supervision.

The Port development in Primorsk is the first experience of a public and private alliance where the business logic of a private investor organically combined with state interests. The future success of the project was determined by the construction of an EPCM developer company.

In Belarus Russian businessman David Kaplan found the plant for production of the necessary components, he acquired this plant and rebuilt the entire production process so that all components are produced in volume, covering the needs of the facility under construction 60 meters of tower radars. In just 6 months OSR plan for the Baltic Sea has been implemented. In addition, he built a metal processing plant in the forest. Such tactics allowed to significantly reduce costs and maximize time.

Kaplan attracted the best specialists that built supports of hydraulic structures and reduced the number of piles. During the implementation of the project, the team encountered a problem, they had to mount piles in difficult deep-sea conditions with a large number of boulders. Professors who at one time developed existing SNiPs in the USSR helped Kaplan implement the project. Under their control each pile was mounted in water. Professors worked on each shift with workers and controlled the process so that all structures were at the right angle and according to the calculations.

This approach guaranteed the stability, sturdiness of the facility and reduction of construction time. Step by step David made accurate calculations which significantly reduced financial costs of the project. Kaplan managed to reduce the initial cost of the project almost in two times. A world record was set for this facility, David Kaplan built it in 364 days at 90 facts of storm warnings and raging severe frosts. The terminal has been commissioned already in March 2006.

The project almost immediately began to make a profit of about $ 50 million per year and was paid off completely in 2 years. Each terminal allows transshipment of almost 40 million tons of oil per year , together of up to 75 million tons of oil per year. Since 2006 the port is used as a reference project of unique engineering and technology.

Using his unique abilities, Russian businessman David Kaplan designed and implemented modernization model project. Before him the overpass flooded into two levels. David made the decision to remove the first level, which was built for wartime. The abandonment of the first level has reduced costs and construction time. Specialists from Japan and China offered Kaplan to sell technology and design solutions of the construction.

David Kaplan was actively involved in various areas that in one form or another are associated with oil. He led the project on new types of oil production, development of new environmentally friendly and resource-saving technologies and the construction of oil trunk pipelines. Kaplan combined engineering approach with his many years’ experience in oil refining of the vacuum distillation, pumping pressure into oil refining columns and pipe production from special steel.

He applied a unique gas vaporization system allowing through vacuum to capture up gas and minimizehuge emissions into the environment. David Kaplan built more than 1000 km of oil pipelines, registered over 140 international patents. The green APU system has been created and 67 refineries are operating worldwide using vacuum creating systems.

2.Reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater of Russia

The State Academic Bolshoi Theater is one of the most significant opera and ballet theaters in the world. The building of the Bolshoi Theater is a monument of architecture and history of the federal security category and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The restoration and reconstruction of the historic building of the Bolshoi Theater has become a colossal project on the global scale. This was one of the most important projects of the president of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev, which construction he supervised personally. The historic building was closed for renovation in 2005. At that time its depreciation according to various estimates ranged from 50% to 70%.

Before Russian businessman David Kaplan started managing the reconstruction process took about 5 years, but the project was of a poor quality, as if the calendar stood still, and the amount of work did not decrease. It was affected by different speeds of various types of work, inefficient interaction of firms and their weak coordination as well as the lack of a single system of interaction with the government of Moscow. All to no avail. In the summer of 2009 by the initiative of Medvedev the right of the general contractor of the project was transferred to the contracting company led by David Kaplan.

Medvedev organized presidential commission for the reconstruction of a historic building under the president which Beglov was head of. The professional commission for a long time studied all the documents, analyzed the current situation, assessed the condition of the walls and the foundation of the theater, and as a result a comprehensive project for the restoration of the theater building was unanimously agreed with architects, culture experts, etc.

A large-scale reconstruction project of an object of world significance provided scientific restoration of the audience part of the theater and a radical reconstruction of the stage parts with the underground space for new premises. An important condition for this project was to preserve the historical appearance of the building as a monument of architecture and its interiors.

David Kaplan finished the full-scale reconstruction, restoration and modernization of the Bolshoi Theater. Well-coordinated and structured team of his regiment constructors, restorers, planners, installation engineers and other professionals worked at a fast pace. In record time a tremendous amount of work was done. First the worn-out building walls had to be moved 4 meters up and to be placed on temporary supports. When the new foundation was ready the Bolshoi Theater returned to its permanent foundation.

Every day around, inside and under the theater building including restoration workshops over 1,500 specialists were working hard. The large-scale work of professionals in the field of restoration and reconstruction rapidly pushed closer the opening date. The Bolshoi Theater is not only a stage and an auditorium, it’s also a white spectator foyer, imperial foyer, the legendary main staircase, luxurious exposition and choral halls.

Under each restored interior item Russian entrepreneur David Kaplan gathered a special commission for reconstruction of the primordial type of halls, an individual project was prepared with documentation, which relied on numerous archival data. Great work of unique experts from all over the world under the leadership of David Kaplan allowed to revive many lost features, the historical appearance of the famous building and at the same time put the Bolshoi Theater among the most advanced and technically equipped theater buildings of the world.

In many ways the lost during the years of Soviet power historical appearance of the theater and interiors of the XIX century: the auditorium and part of it enfilades have regained their original look, projected by the architect Kavos, previously painted murals of the White Foyer were restored, chandeliers and monograms, tapestries and jacquard fabrics, etc. were returned to the Round Hall as well as to the Imperial Foyer.

During the reconstruction all the historical rooms were restored, Main Lobby, White Foyer, Choral, Exposition, Round and Beethoven Halls. Specialists also worked on the restoration of the external appearance of the building, the facades and columns, as well as the symbol of the Bolshoi Theater famous quadriga of Apollo. Experts have strengthened constructive part of the sculptures and covered it with several layers of a special protective that preserves the quadriga from atmospheric influences.

In addition, copies of the muses of Erato and Terpsichore destroyed in 1941 were installed on the façade. The height of the restored sculptures of muses reaches 3.5 meters, and the weight of each of them is more than 2 tons. Every sculpture consists of 7 gypsum elements. Parts of the sculptures are strung on a metal frame constructed in the XIX century. Special attention was concentrated on the restoration of the legendary acoustics of the theater. Historical stage was designed by the principle of a musical instrument.

The auditorium is completely wooden that allows you to create the necessary conditions for a better perception of the sound of singing voices and musical instruments. David Kaplan is well educated in musical instruments and acoustics. He knew that the exceptional sound of the legendary violins of Stradivarius and Guarneri was largely due to special grade and composition of the wood used. Wood panels are the main component of acoustics of the auditorium of the Bolshoi Theater.

They create the effect of "room sound" due to amplification timbre of sound made from the scene with simultaneous “echo absorption”. David Kaplan, Russian businessman, got busy searching for a specialist in wood and the wood itself, which would meet all the required physical and acoustic properties. International experts have conducted numerous acoustic studies of pine trees following the strict implementation of technical recommendations. After that, the right pine was found in the Finnish forest and brought to Russia.

The unique decks were completely restored as well as the auditorium, nodes of wooden pendants, ceiling lags, supporting ceiling panels and other related elements. The overwhelming success of the project and rave reviews from acoustic experts spread across the world. The creation of a huge underground space under the theater with a depth of 6 floors included panoramic elevator and escalators, underground and elevated passages. In the new premises there is a stage and a hall for 330 spectators, buffets, dressing rooms, a large number of technical, domestic and office premises. In daytime hall is used for rehearsals of artists, orchestra and choir, and in the evening, there are chamber concerts.

The new dressing rooms are another pride of the modern Bolshoi Theater. It is completely mechanized warehouse for storing suits and props, innovative technological equipment, a unique system of work of Japanese robots that fly on fishing lines and are automatically assembled with the necessary costumes of certain shelve, put them in baskets and delivered to the costumers for dozens of kilometers to the Bolshoi Theater for performances.

We must say that innovative high-tech solutions have found their application in all sections of the reconstructed object. The enlarged orchestra pit has become one of the largest in the world and now simultaneously accommodates up to 130 musicians, and thanks to modern installations the orchestra pit has also become a mechanized multifunctional complex consisting of three integral lifting and lowering platforms that easily change their position so that the scene can become horizontal, inclined or stepped.

The stage space is also fully mechanized and equipped with special equipment for controlling lighting devices, scenery and shifts for each new performance of a huge backdrop of a scene comparable to height nine-story building. Having completed the reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater, Russian Businessman David Kaplan turned the object into a real theater state, huge parts of which are united among themselves into a single architectural ensemble.

3. The Altai Compound

Altai mountains are the pearl of Russia because it is beautiful and unique place. Around pristine nature there are greenery, clean air and raging rivers.

In a picturesque valley where the Ursul River merges with the Katun River a hotel and recreation complex were built and it was called Altai Compound. Formally the residence was owned by Gazprom. In fact, a unique resort is designed to welcome important foreign guests and senior officials of the Russian Federation. Everyone knows about the special interest of the top leadership of Russia in deer and use in medicinal purposes of their horns, antlers and blood. Even an incentive program of deer breeding was launched in the country.

David Kaplan, Russian businessman, got the right to be both a technical and a general contractor of the company Gazpromneft. The construction of the complex was only 12 months. For the convenience of guests of the Altai Compound a new road from Chuysky tract about 20km was built. Previously, there was a small path to the village, and it was possible to get there only by helicopter.

Today, a small path has become a real highway. In a very short term at a closed guarded 3,000sq.m the main building, building for administrative and maintenance personnel, substation, two helipads and maralnik were built.

4. Restoration and reconstruction of the Cathedral in Kronstadt

Naval Cathedral of St. Nicholas or St. Nicholas Stavropegic Naval Cathedral is the last and largest of the naval cathedrals built in the Russian Empire. The cathedral was constructed in 1903-1913 in Kronstadt in memory of the sons of the fleet, who died on duty, a cathedral for those who are in the sea.

The Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and monument of global importance. In 1929 the temple was closed, and later it was completely converted into a cinema. During the World War II in the space under the dome of the temple observation and correctional post of naval and coastal artillery was built. After the war, the temple building housed a concert hall. As a result of all these circumstances and improper operation, the cathedral was in emergency condition.

And only thanks to the prompt start of restoration work the cathedral building managed to be saved from the final destruction. Restoration of the main temple of the Navy of the Russian Federation started in 2009 and ended by the 100th anniversary of the holy monastery in May 2013. Reconstruction was assigned to the Office of the Mayor and the Government of Moscow and Moscow Patriarchate.

David Kaplan was not only one of the leaders of the restoration project Kronstadt Naval Cathedral but also together with Ziyavudin Magomedov donated to the Fund Kronstadt Naval Cathedral $ 25 million for its reconstruction. St. Nicholas Church was built in neo-Byzantine style according to the prototype of St. Sophia of Constantinople. It is made of brick, decorated with mosaics, carvings and stained-glass windows, crowned by the temple dome with a diameter of 26.7 meters.

The belfry has a bell ensemble, 16 unique bells were cast at the Voronezh bell foundry, and the lead bell is the only one that survived from XIX century, on the basis of the sound of which a modern selection was formed. The big evangelical bell leads the bell set. It is the largest and heaviest, its weight is 17 tons with diameter of 30 meters. For comparison, the total weight of the assembly is 22 tons. To lift and install the bell the master of precise calculations Russian businessman David Kaplan developed and brilliantly conducted special operation. The Maritime Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Kronstadt celebrated its anniversary in its all splendor.

5. The historical reconstruction of the Danilov Monastery

Danilovsky or Holy Danilovsky Monastery is a stavropegic Russian monastery of Orthodox church. It is one of the oldest historical and religious monuments of world culture founded in the end of the 13th century by the Moscow prince Daniil Alexandrovich.

Holy abode is the first monastery in Moscow. In the western part of the monastery there are the official Synodal Residence and personal residence of the Patriarch of Moscow and “All Russia”. In the early 2000s the residence building turned out to be in very poor condition, therefore, a decision was made on its reconstruction in 2009.

The project for the restoration of an architectural monument of the 13th century was prepared taking into consideration its historical, architectural and structural features of the building. According to archival documents and bibliographic studies specialists studied the history of the monastery as well as the engineering and technical features of the structures on its territory.

Then a draft restoration project was formed and approved, considering historical, architectural and structural solutions used in the construction. Russian entrepreneur David Kaplan completed planned reconstruction in 9 months. In gratitude for the significant contribution to the preservation of the historical monument of architecture and the great shrine of the Russian Orthodox Church David Kaplan by decree of the Patriarch of Moscow and “All Russia” Cyril was awarded the Order of Glory and Honor.

The motto of the order is the words of the Holy Apostle Paul, "Glory and honor ... to everyone who does good." The head of the Russian Orthodox Church considered it fair to honor the highest award of the Russian Orthodox Church, Jew David Kaplan, for his professionalism, goodness and contribution to strengthening peace and friendship between nations.

6. The Construction of the Kazan Arena stadium

The facility was finished in record time, in May 2013. Today the stadium is called Ak Bars Arena and is the largest multifunctional sports facility in the Volga region, designed for sporting events and business events of an international scale: Opening Ceremonies and closing of the XXVII World Summer Universidad in Kazan 2013, World Water Championship Sports in 2015, Confederations Cup in 2017, opening and closing of the 45th World Standards Championship WorldSkills-2019. The total capacity of the Ak Bars Arena stadium is 45,379 seats. The annual traffic of the stadium is 1 million visitors.

The architectural concept is based on the image of a water lily and a wave shape. Uniqueness of this building project is provided with spans of a crossbar longer than 120 meters and translucent roof console, which relies on only 8 reference points. The metalwork in the unique roof is larger than the roof of the London Wembley. Their total weight is 12 thousand tons. Due to such an engineering construction a single design looks airy. Ak Bars Arena is not only the most beautiful but also the safest sports facility in the world.

The high-tech media facade of Ak Bars Arena Stadium is Europe’s largest screen in Full HD format located in the stadium. This is a unique advertising and information medium allowing you to broadcast events within the stadium, conduct live broadcasts of socially significant events and film screenings. The area of the media façade is of the fantastic size 3,700 sq.m.

Perception range information is 2-3 km, traffic is more than 340,000 people per day. No other facility in Russia can provide the same stable coverage and completely free access to wi-fi connection throughout the stadium. Russian entrepreneur David Kaplan completed the record-fast pace construction in the period of 36 months, and the total cost of the complex is 14.5 billion rubles which makes it unique among the sports complexes.

Doing what you like is an unprecedented luxury in the modern world. Most entrepreneurs do not have such an opportunity. They are forced to do something that brings some money, but not pleasure. It’s different in David Kaplan’s case, he brings to life complex and interesting projects that motivate big initiatives.